Water-column for railroad water-tanks.



No. 63|,439. l Patented Aug. 22, i899. W. F. PDYYSER & J. BRDWN. WATER COLUMN FOR RAILBUAD WATER TANKS.

(Application ed Juno 10, 1898.)

3 2 .l a l y (No Model.)

TH: Norms ravens co, uom-urna., wAsmNumn. n, c

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.,l

WILLIAM F. POYSER AND JOHN BROVN, OF FORT WAYNE, INDIANA.

WATER-COLUMN FOR RAILROAD' WATER-TANKS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 631,439, dated August 22, 1899.

Application tiled Jnn'e 10, 1898. Serial No. 683,111. (No model.)

To LZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, WILLIAM F. PoYsER and JOHN BROWN, citizens of the United States, residing at Fort Wayne, in the'county' of Allenv and State of Indiana, have inventedi certain new anduseful Improvements in Water-Columns for Railroad Water-Tanks.; and we do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enablev others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to water-columns for delivering water to the tanks of locomotivetenders along railroad lines, and more particularly to certainimprovements in construction for making them more convenient and eective in operation than those heretofore in use.

The object of our invention is-toy provide'a water-column which shall be simple in construction and which can be easily and quickly operatedto supply water to the tank of a locomotive-tender and then turned out ofthe way, so that the delivery-spout shall stand parallel with the track.

-Another object o'f our invention is tol provide for `freely raising and lowering the column and turning it to the. right or left,.so that its delivery-spout shall extend transversely over the track 0rY be turned automatically either to the right or left, with the delivery-spout parallel with the track.

Another object is to provide for automatically closing the inlet-valve of the column and also automatically opening adrain-valve for the column immediately after the main inlet-valve has been closed, so that surplus water in the column may be drained therefrom t0 prevent freezing.

Another object is to provide certain details of construction foi-,making the column more certain and effective in its operation and less liable to get out of order than columns heretofore in use for supplying water to locomotive-tenders.

.The improvements constituting our invention will be set forth inthe claims.

We will now describe the details of construct-ion of our improved column by reference to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 represents a vertical section with parts in elevation. Fig. 2 represents allelevation, on enlarged scale, of a portion of the column and its supporting-platform, showd .same part-s when the column is turned onefourth around into the position it occupies when in use. Fig. 4 represents an elevation and under side plan View of the drain-valve.

The water-column A, made of a suitable diameter and any desirable height, is supported bymeans of rollers or wheels upon a base or platform and is held in a vertical position bya surroundingsupporting-base, having at its upper end suitable guide-rollers, and the lower end of the column proper projects down into an enlarged water-chamber having a gland and packing, so as to permit the collinari to be freely turned or raised and lowered therein. The upper end of the column is provided with the usual horizontal delivery-spout B, which is bolted by its flange b to a flange a' on the column. The top of the column is made with a flange a, to which is bolted the top plate C, having at one side the fulcrum-post c2, to the upper end of which is pivotally connected the lever-handle D.

- The top plate C has a central hub or stud c', projecting both downward and upward, and the upperpart is provided with a stuflingbox 'c for the valve-rod d. To the lever-handle D is pivotally connected the link d, which inturn is connected to the valve-rod el', which latter passes through the stuffing-box c down into the valve-chamber below. lo the under side of the hub vc is secured the pipe F, inelosing the valve-rod, and such pipe is secured atits lower end to the cross-bar a2 at the lower end of column A. In the valve-rod d is connected a suitable swivel-coupling d2 to permit the column to turn without turning the valves which are thereon, and near the lower end is secured the relief-valve L, which is adapted tol open or close a drain-opening in the bottom of the main valve.

A cap or hood E, having at one side a vertical slot e for the lever-handle, is mounted upon the top plate C for giving a suitable nish to the column and protecting the mechanism below.

The lower end of column A projects down IOO into the enlarged water-chamber G, so as to freely turn and be raised and lowered therein, as required. The upper portion of the wall of the chamber Gabove its contact with the water-column A is provided with a groove containing a suitable packing g and a gland g2 for making a tight joint, but permitting motion of the column. Chamber G is provided at one side with a hand-hole and a plate g and has at its lower end the wide flange g3, by means of which it is bolted to the waterinlet and valve chamber H. 'Between the Hange g3 and its seat is secured the valve-seat ring J, which is preferably made of rubber in the form shown to make a goed seat and tight joint when the upper edge of the cup-valve K is seated upon it. The cup-valve K is the main water-inlet valve for the column and is supported and guided in a cylinder or casing com posed of the upwardly-projecting annular guideway 7L and the downwardly-projecting annular portion 7L. The Wateninlet and valve chamber H, with its parts 7L and 7L', may be composed of a single casting or may be built of detached parts, as desired. The watermain I is in practice bolted to the chamber H. In one side of chamber H is set the spring relief-valve h2 for relieving the excessive pressure of water when the main valve K is closed.

The main inlet-valve K is preferably made cup shape, with its bearing edge at the top and with a central opening and valve-seat k in its bottom plate. To the under side of valve K is secured a packing-ring It, of leather or other suitable material, by means of a metal plate 7a2 and suitable screw-studs. The packingring /r/ makes a sufficiently tight joint, like a piston-packing, with the walls of the cylinder or casing h 7L.

By placing the rubber valve-seat ring J at the top of cham ber H and using the cup-valve K with its upper edges bearing upward against said seat we prevent the deposit of sticks, stones, or other foreign substances upon the valve-seat (which would cause a leak) and are thus enabled to maintain a tight joint, which is a very important feature in a water-column.

The drain-valve L (shown detached in Fig. 4) is made with a central opening and four downwardly-extending guide-wings and is slipped over the lower end of the rod CZ', to which itis secured bya pin. (Nothere shown.) The guide-wings Z are iitted in the opening in the bottom of valve K, so that the valve L will be readily forced to its seat 7.: when the rod d is pushed downward. A transverse pin (Z3 is secured in the lower end of rod d', so as to bear upon the bottom of valve K on both sides of its opening,r to serve as a stop when the lever-handle D is raised and prevent the guidewings Z from being drawn out of the opening.

The lower end of the cylindrical extension 7L is closed by a plate t', having an opening i for escape of water. lVithin the cylinder h is placed the spiral spring N, bearing upon its bottom plate and also vup against the bottom of the cup-valve K and acting to automatically close said valve when the downward pressure on the lever-handle D is released. A second spring a is placed at the top of the column around the valve-rod d' and bears at its lower end upon the top of stufiing-box c and at its upper end upon the plate d4. secured to the rod or to the link (l. This spring serves to automatically raise the handle D, the rod d, and drain-valve L after the cupvalve K has been closed, so that surplus Water in the column may drain out through the opening k and pass off to the sewer or other convenient place.

The weight of the column is mainly supported by the plate P, resting upon the platform \V. At a suitable height above plate P there is secured to column A the collar or sleeve R by means of the screw-studs or bolts '15. The collar R is provided with four hangers, two of which, rr, are comparatively short and two of which, r r, are long and at opposite sides of the column, as indicated in Figs. 2 and 3. The hangers are suitably slotted for receiving` the wheels or rollers s s, which are journaled therein, as shown. The supporting-plate P is provided upon opposite sides with two double inclines p p for suitably raising the column when it is turned into the operative position across the track. \Vhen the column is at rest and out ot' use with the delivery-spout B parallel with the track, the wheels s s' on the long hangers r' rest in the depressions between the inclines, while the other set of wheels on the short hangers r rest upon the tops ot' the inclines, as shown in Fig. 2. By means of this construction and arrangement the column is evenly supported on four sides, so that it will not be liable to be tilted out of place by the wind or other means when not in use. When the column is turned into position with the spout B across the track ready to deliver water to the ltender, the pair of wheels s' on the long hangers 7 rest upon the tops of the inclines p, while the other set of wheels s are elevated, as shown in Fig. 3. A ring or flange CL3 is secured to the column below the baseplate P to act as a stop for preventing the column from being raised too high out of the water-chamber G.

Around the plate P and collar R is secured the supporting-base T, which may be bolted to the platform XV, and it is provided at the upper end with a suitable number of horizontal rollers u, bearing all around upon the column A. A cap or -hood t covers these rollers and forms a suitable finish to the base T. The base T forms a suitable support to pre vent lateral displacement ot' the column A, and the rollers u permit the column to readily turn as the spout is swung around into different positions. The rollers s s may be termed the supporting-rollers and the rollers u the guide-rollers.

By means of the supporting-plate P, with' the delivery-spout B may be grasped by the attendant and `the Column turned either to the'right or left, as most convenient, until the spout is in proper position over the supply-opening of the tank on the tender. As the column is turned one-quarter revolution the wheels s' on the llong hanger r rise upon the inclines p, and thus raise the end of the delivery-spout sufficiently to clear the tender. The spout being in the proper position, the lever-handle D is now pulled downward, operating first to close the drain-valve L upon its seat and then to push downward the main valve K until it is sufficiently wide open to permit Water to flow from main I and chamber H up through the column and be discharged through the spout into the tank of the tender. After the tank has been filled the leverhandle D is released, when the sprin g N will act automatically to close valve K, and the spring 'n will act to raise valve-rod d and the drain-valve L, 4thus opening the passage la in the bottom of valve K, and permit the excess of Water in the column to drain oif. After the lever-handle D is released the spout Bis also released, and if slightly turned the Wheels s' will then automatically roll down the incline 1o, so as to turn the column with the spout B parallel with the track. It will be noted that the spout B may be turned either to the right or to the left, and in either case the wheels s' will roll down the double inclines p to bring the spout parallel with the track. This is quite a convenience in practice and much facilitates the quick operation of t-he column. Since the main valve is closed automatically and the drain-Valve opened automatically and the delivery spout, with the column, is automatically turned into the normal position parallel with the track, the operation of supplying water to the'tank of the tender can be quickly and conveniently performed.

By reason of the small number of partsand the simplicity of construction of our column it is not liable to get out of order and will be quite effective in operation.

Having described our invention, what We claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, 1s-

l. In a water-column, the combination with the valve-chamber and the main valve therein, of a relief or drain valve, means connecting with saidvalve to positively close the drain-valve and then open the main Watersupply valve, and a spring, operating automatically, to open the drain-valve after `the main valve has been closed, substantially as described.

2.. In a Water-column, the combination with thevvalVe-chamber having the seat-ring at the top, of the cylindrical main Valve, bearing at its upper edge on said seat, a drain-valve, means for closing said drain-valve and successively opening the main valve, independent, automatic means for closing the main valve and independent automatic means for opening the drain-valve, substantially as described.

3. IIn a water-column, the combination with the valve-chamber,of a cup-shaped main valve having an opening and seat in its bottom, a drain-valve for said opening, means acting to close said drain-valve on its seat, and then open the main valve, means for closing said main valve and independent,automatic means for opening said drain-Valve, substantially a described.

4. In a water-column, the combination with the valve-chamber,of a cup-shaped main valve having an opening and seat in its bottom, a drain-Valve for said opening, means acting to close said drain-valve and open the main valve, a spring for closing said main valve and a separate spring acting independently to open said drain-valve, substantially as described.

5. The combination with the valve-chamber having the seat-ring at the top, of a cylindrical valve having its bearing edge at the top, a casing or cylinder for said valve below its seat, and means for raising and lowering the vaive, substantially as described.

6. The combination with the valve-chamber, having a seat-ring at the top, of a cylindrical cup-shaped valve, having its bearing edge at the top and an opening at its bottom, a casing or cylinder for said valve below its seat, a drain-valve for the opening in said cup-shaped valve and means for operating both valves, substantially as described.

7. The combination with the valvecharnber, having a seat-ring at the topand a cylin- IOO IIO

drical valve-casin g, h, h', below said seat-ring,

of a cylindrical cup-shaped valve having its bearing edge at the top and provided with a valve-opening in its bottom, a drain-valve for said opening, a spring bearing on the bottom of said cup-shaped valve for closing it and other suitable means for operating both valves, substantially as described.

8. The combination with the Water-column A, of the supporting-plate P, having double inclines p, upon its opposite sides and resting on platform W, and a collar, as R, secured to the column and having two opposite short hangers and Wheels and two opposite long hangers and wheels, the said long hangers and wheels being placed intermediately between the short hangers, whereby the column will be evenly supported when it rests with its upper end with horizontal guide-rollers u, the spout parallel to the track, substantially bearing on the column, substantially as deas described. scribed.

9. The combination with the water-column In testimony whereof weaffix our signa- 5 A, of the supporting-plate P, having double tures in presence of two witnesses.

inclines upon its opposite sides and resting WILLIAM F. POYSER. on platform W, a collar, having hangers and i JOHN BROWN. Supporting-Wheels, secured to the column and i \Vitnesses:

a supporting-base, as T, surrounding, said JOHN C. ABEL, 1o supporting-plate and collar, and provided at MICHAEL TANCEY. 

